Dad, Don Moseman Sr., "Walkin Don"

Dear Family & Friends – Dad, Don Moseman Sr., "Walkin Don", was a very loved and admired man.  We lost him this past Tuesday (19Nov25) and we are hoping and praying that he is with our Mom and Kelly (our sister) looking down upon us all. He was a great man who inspired and helped so many people over the past 37 years through his drug and alcohol counseling, his two walks across the country, his amazing animal photos, etc., etc.. Dad was very fond of saying he did this since, "I had to make up for the first 49 years" (Dad was in prison for mostly drug related offenses during most of this time). I remember when he was last let out of prison, Kelly (My and Ivan's sister) and I treated him out to lunch at a Mexican restaurant in the Mission District. He said he was scared straight when they told him, upon his release, "Moseman, if we see you again, next time you're going to Pelican Bay." What little I had heard about pelican Bay at that time was that it was for the worst of the worst, 23 hours in cell with 1 hour outside, daily. What I remember about dad is his exceptional boxing skills (he was a promising heavyweight boxer until he busted his head open trying to lift a car), that he was a forest fire fighter, a river life guard, making several rescues, a master welder, certified to weld many exotic metals and master fabricator, fabricating, from the frame up, a model A roadster in our welding shop where he put me to work at a very young age on the tube bender and drill press. To this day, so incredibly grateful to him for what he taught me in the shop and the work ethic that he instilled in us. I remember we all lived in the welding shop (Brisbane, Industrial Way, 2nd welding shop) for a few months when times were tough, Kelly, Ivan and I sleeping on the floor in the small office. Earlier in his life, dad fought fires (as part of a prison firefighting brigade) was also a lumberjack and a master storyteller - scaring the crap out of us kids with some of his stories of creatures with sharp teeth and long claws in pitch dark train tunnels near Potrero Hill! For the past 37 years, Dad's passions were helping his friends in AA and NA stay sober, his nature photography, resulting in thousands of amazing animal photos and a book (Embrace your inner wild)-- Dad is an author, and, recently, his close companion Moochie (Pomeranian)!! I consider myself very fortunate to have been able to reconnect with him and benefit from his amazing advice these past several years -- What dad liked to call 'prison yard wisdom." I asked dad how he got so good at welding, nature photos, etc. He responded, I seek out the masters and learn as much as I can from them." While life, growing up, was definitely difficult many times, we know others have had it tougher.  We choose to focus on the good memories we had with and of him.  Some of these, we share below:

-       Trinity river trip:  We found an Obsidian Indian arrow head on the side of the road.  Dad also taught me (Don) how to swim in the rapids and let us all (Ivan, Kelly and I) play in the river.  I also remember him driving the white truck down a very, very steep hill to the river below.  It took him three tries to get back up that hill.

-       San Francisco Tunnel Road drag strip:  Dad hid me in the back of the Model A Roadster that he built as he raced at the drag strip…I asked Dad a few weeks ago and he told me he had won.

-       Alices Restaurant & Bayside Café:  We remember so many fantastic breakfasts with Dad at both Alice's Restaurant (Jamie, Andy, Taylor and teammates) and Bayside Café (Alise, Anderson and teammates).  He loved you guys. Thank you for caring for and  loving him all of these years!

-       Marin County Sheriff's Association: While going through Dad's papers, I learned he donated to them.  Not sure, for how much, but just like Dad to give back & try to learn from his earlier life. During the last half of Dad's life, his relationship w/ Law enforcement looked good.  The photo that just brings a smile to my face is him posing in a photo with a kind looking lady (she worked in law enforcement) both of them smiling and proudly displaying his rap sheet!  He should be proud. Dad was a one in a million to turn his life around the way he did!

-       Cazadero, Dad's Mom's house:  I vaguely remember, when I was 3 – 5, trips to Cazadero to visit Dad's Mom, Mary, and Dad's brothers Cliff and Joe.  Cliff would later work in Dad's first welding shop at I believe 600 Tunnel Avenue in San Francisco – A massive building that was so long that, as a little kid, we only went to the back once (pitch black, no lighting) to touch the back wall.  Dad recently said he rented it from the owner of Safeway Scaffold (Dad worked for them for a bit when he was younger).

-       Christmas:  Pretty sure this was 97 Mar Vista Drive so when I was 8 or younger which puts Ivan and Kelly around 3 and 2 years old.  Mom and Dad let us open all of our presents on Christmas Eve. We thought that was it until we woke the following morning to find a ton more presents under the tree.  I think they were able to do this for us twice while growing up.  What a great thing to do for us kids!!  I wish we could have appreciated and loved them both as much as they deserved while they were still with us down here.  Hopefully, we get a second chance!

-       Dogs and Animals growing up:  Our loving Willie, Rhodesian Ridgeback.  What a great, great dog and companion.  He protected me; Kosak – Saint Bernard; Pet Iguana and pet Alligator at 97 Mar Vista Drive.  Alligator kept biting me leaving dozens of pinhole marks in my hands.  I just could not understand why the Alligator was not friendlier! ;-)

-       5th birthday Go cart: Dad made me a go cart for my fifth birthday.  Beautiful, copper color painted.  On our first test run outside the house, I turned right on a hill street, pushed the gas when dad said brake  and somehow he caught up to me and turned me to the right so I could stop by crashing into a house before I went off the end of the street onto the freeway below.

-       Lion Country Safari:  Looking through all of our family photos, I see Dad and Mom took us here in Southern California when we were younger. Struggling to remember specifics but really nice thing for them to do for us.

-       Russian – We learned, as we cleaned Dad's van, he was studying Russian.  Dad's Grandparents, from his Mom Mary's side, (Nicholas Keseloff and Grandma Klistoff) were Russian Molokans who migrated to the United States to escape religious persecution by the Russian Czars and Russian Orthodox Church.  Dad was studying Russian and English grammer

-       AA Rule 62 – We came across this card while going through Dad's papers.  Sounds just like Dad.  "Don't take yourself too damn seriously"

-       How are you doing Dad? "I woke up, I'm not in jail and I'm not hooked on drugs. It's a pretty good day."  This is how Dad would answer this question most days that we spoke.

While I was sorry to see dad go, I am not sorry that he is no longer in pain and suffering. I like to think that he is with our mom Shirley, Kelly, our sister, his Mom Mary and his sisters Lois and Beverly, watching over us all from high above. Very, very grateful and proud to call you Dad!   Hoping and praying that we get a chance to see you, Mom and Kelly again someday.

Dad is survived by his Sons Ivan Moseman, Don Moseman Jr., grandchildren Christina Moseman, Melissa Moseman, Donald Moseman III, great grandson Logan Allen, his brothers Clifton and Joe Hayslip & Moochie, his travel companion.  Dad was preceded in death by his Mom, Mary Hayslip (Moseman), and his sisters Beverly and Lois.

Service Information

A Viewing will be held for Donald William Moseman Sr. on Wednesday, December 3, 2025 from 10:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. at Vaca Hills Chapel Funeral Home; 524 Elmira Road, Vacaville, California.

A Catholic Prayer Service to follow on Wednesday, December 3, 2025 at 1:00 P.M. at Vaca Hills Chapel Funeral Home; 524 Elmira Road, Vacaville, California.

Graveside Service to follow on Wednesday, December 3, 2025 at 2:00 P.M. at the Vacaville-Elmira Cemetery; 522 Elmira Road, Vacaville, California.